What Is a Visual Effects Artist and How to Become One

As a visual effects artist, your job is to create special effects for the film industry to portray visuals or action sequences that are too difficult or too costly to film. Your primary responsibilities center on consulting with clients, supervisors, and other artists to create visual effects (VFX) to their specifications. Your job duties include using computer animation software programs and working with the various production departments to meet the film’s needs. You need creativity and imagination to work as a visual effects artist, and you must be proficient with animation, graphic design, and visual effects computer programs.

There are no universal education qualifications needed to become a visual effects artist. However, you will need an extensive portfolio to demonstrate your skills. An associate or bachelor’s degree program in computer animation, visual effects, or a similar field not only helps you learn the necessary skills, but it can also give you the opportunity to build a portfolio under the supervision of an expert in the field. You need experience with computer animation and special effects production software tools, like Houdini, Adobe CS5, Autodesk Maya, RenderMan, and Nuke, which you may learn in school, but certification programs are also available to learn specific software. As it can be a competitive market, entry-level jobs in the film industry can help you gain the connections needed to find a job in visual effects.